Ross County manager to discuss future with chairman after keeping club up
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John Hughes said he intends to sit down with Ross County chairman Roy MacGregor to decide whether he would still be at the helm in Dingwall next season.
The former Hibernian and Inverness Caledonian Thistle boss took over the Staggies in December after the departure of Stuart Kettlewell, tasked with one thing – keep the Staggies in the Premiership.
Sunday’s 2–1 win over Motherwell ensured they did just that without even the need for a play-off, a scenario which felt a long way off at the turn of the year.
With Hughes’ deal expiring at the end of the campaign, though, many County fans’ thoughts will be turning towards the future, wondering if he is set to remain at the club.
“I have to speak to the chairman and that means all the players will be away,” Hughes said after the full time whistle confirmed County’s top flight status at Fir Park.
“But it’s not all my decision, we have to sit down and have a real talk about where we want to go and how we want to do it. It has to be planned strategically for the best of Ross County.
“The budget comes into that. That’s not a problem to me, in all my time in football I have never worked out of budget. I have been in it 18 years and only spent something like £250,000.
“I think if you’re doing your job properly and you’ve got contacts, you know where one or two players are. One or two players will come and one or two players will go, that’s football.
“I will be sitting down with the chairman and I will be up there for a couple of weeks. It’s important I do that. I have not been home since I took the job, with the Covid. That’s what you have to do – commit.”
Goals from Iain Vigurs and Michael Gardyne turned the game in County’s favour on Sunday, and Hughes praised their mental strength, adding: “In the last three games, to do what we did with so much at stake was a big test of character.
“The boys came out on top, especially after going a goal down. We stood up to it and it was two wonderful goals.
“You are talking about two guys, two stalwarts of the club. The football gods must have been looking down on us and I am grateful.”
